Africa Projects/ Arts & Cultural Weeks/ Enrichment
Our exhilarating African Drumming Experiences offer KS1 to KS3 children all the fun of playing drums together, learning about other cultures, building musical awareness and improving communication and social skills, coordination, teamwork and confidence.
A highly creative way of fulfilling key aspects of the National Curriculum:
Boost learning through rhythm!
Children involved in regular music-making show faster brain development and stronger language and numeracy skills. Rhythm and movement don’t just make learning fun – they build better learners.
Ready Steady Drum! is a vibrant CPD training for EY and KS1 staff, packed with rhythm and joyful play. Designed for real-world classrooms, using simple classroom percussion (and washing-up bowls!) – this programme gives staff all they need to lead rich musical activities that support learning and wellbeing.
After disrupted routines and screen-heavy daily life, children need more active, connected, sensory-rich experiences. Rhythm-based activities reawaken focus, speech, coordination and social skills – all through shared, creative music-making.
Created for Birmingham Education Authority by Sarah Westwood, Ready Steady Drum! was designed to accelerate early literacy, numeracy and motor skills using simple instruments and rhythmic play.
Communications & Language
Mathematics
Physical Development
Personal, Social & Emotional development
KS1 to KS3
Our African Drumming Experiences for Schools are practical, educational and come with a big ‘wow’ factor!
Children love playing the beautiful instruments and enjoy feeling successful quickly, whilst learning the fundamentals of music-making. Sessions are tailored to each age group, and include:
Whole or half-day sessions and weekly classes.
Up to five classes in a day, or two to three longer classes culminating in a sharing or video performance.
Staff Training
‘Ready Steady Drum!’ engages children in creative rhythm and rhyme activities, building a wide range of foundational skills.
This highly accessible programme gives staff all the skills to lead successful musical activities. Drumming is thrilling for young children – and staff! … making it an ideal activity to support:
🕒 Training Options & Costs
All sessions include:
✔ A full printed Ready Steady Drum! manual
✔ Up to 20 staff included (ideal for school clusters)
✅ 3-hour Core Training – £400
Perfect for INSET mornings or twilight sessions. Staff leave ready to use the activities straight away.
✅ 5-hour Extended Training – £500
More time for deeper practice, stronger links to the EYFS framework, and tailored exploration.
✅ Split 2-Part Programme – £550
Includes a 3-hr intro session and a 2-hr follow-up (flexible scheduling) for reflection, support and next steps.
Travel expenses may apply depending on location.
Give your staff a big boost next INSET day!
Drumming is always a popular choice and offers valuable benefits:
1 hr to half-day events.
“We look forward to our drumming workshops every year. The children love them. How can such fantastic music be composed in such a short time? Absolutely brilliant!”
“The best external activity brought into school. A thoroughly enjoyable day.”
“The comments from all our staff following your workshop sessions last half term were so positive and all were amazed at how much you were able to get the children to produce after such a relatively short time working with them – it was very impressive, and most importantly the children loved it.”
“Sarah provides weekly African drumming lessons for pupils in Years four, five and six, as well as a pioneering steady beat programme for children in Early Years called Ready Steady Drum! Sarah inspires maximum musical development in those she teaches. Her results are always outstanding.”
“Sarah has been running African drumming workshops at The Arthur Terry School, Sutton Coldfield, for seven years. This is a part of our annual Year 7 multi-cultural week and ties in well with the work students have been doing on pulse and rhythm earlier in the year. Sarah’s workshops are meticulously planned and give students the opportunity to experience a range of drumming styles and techniques. Our students have benefited enormously from Sarah’s workshops and always thoroughly enjoy the experience.”
“It was incredible to see how much the children could do after having only a very short session and fabulous to see the look of excitement and enthusiasm on the children’s faces. Sarah had a lovely manner with the children and we have already booked her for next year.”
“What was especially great was the performance at the end of the day, and several other teachers who watched commented on how much they’d enjoyed it too. It was so lovely to hear all the children drumming, singing and clapping together, when often their singing is rather lack lustre!! We shall definitely be booking for you to come for another session next year!”